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With the possibility of contagion due to the trendy respiratory viruses: COVID-19, RSV and influenza, the main recommendation of experts is to wear a mask.
And it is that with the upcoming holidays we try to create a certain type of awareness among families so that seasonal diseases do not spread.
With respiratory viruses in full swing, the use of masks is recommended: would you wear them?
The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC for its acronym in English, visited Philadelphia last Tuesday and talked a little about the topic. Dr Rochelle Walensky said “every year seasonal respiratory viruses are a major concern and this time we add COVID-19”.
The official recommended the wearing of masks in establishments where there is a high risk of community-wide contagion from any of the aforementioned diseases.
“You don’t have to wait for the CDC’s recommendation to wear a mask,” Walensky said. “We recommend preventive measures such as hand washing, staying home when sick, masking, increasing ventilation during the season, but especially in areas with high community levels of COVID-19.”
The CDC continues to recommend face coverings for anyone traveling by plane, train, bus or other public transportation, Walensky added. Those with weakened immune systems or who face a higher risk of serious disease should also consider using it.
Walensky was in Philadelphia on Tuesday to attend the 2022 Bloomberg American Health Summit. At that event, he explained that respiratory virus cases have been declining in recent years due to isolation and, of course, the wearing of masks. “Because we haven’t had a lot of flu the last couple of seasons, we haven’t developed community immunity,” she said.
Influenza arrived early in the US with hospitalizations highest in a decade. According to data from the CDC:
- 8.7 million sick
- 78,000 people were hospitalized
- 4,500 people died
Walensky strongly encouraged everyone eligible to get their flu shot and COVID booster. There is no vaccine for RSV. “We want people to be together, we want people to be connected, we want them to be safe,” said the expert. “The best way to do that is to take those preventative measures and get vaccinated.”
The CDC’s national director was present at a health conference presented in Philadelphia.
